A quarter of UK boilers 'at risk of breaking'

As many as one in four UK households has a boiler on the verge of collapse, according to a new study by npower hometeam 50.

Six million systems are at least a decade old, even though the average lifespan of a boiler is estimated to be just 12 years.

Despite the success of last year’s government boiler scrappage scheme, which saw thousands of homeowners replace their old systems with new energy efficient ones, many are working inefficiently and prone to breakdowns.

Half of all British boilers are also expected to be more than five years old, while Wales and the East Midlands are the regions most at risk from ageing boilers, with 26% owning their boiler for over a decade.

“An ageing boiler is a risk for any household, particularly as it is often the most expensive item in the home to replace whilst breakdowns can be costly to repair,” said Richard Cotton, head of sales for npower hometeam.

“New A rated boilers are over 90% efficient but older boilers might be less than 60% efficient meaning that for every £1 spent on gas heating 40p is wasted.”

Npower’s hometeam 50 boiler care costs £10.50 per month.

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